Battery housing for an electric-motor-driven vehicle comprising a tub-like housing part having multiple support elements arranged at a distance from each other and having a bottom part supported on the support element for receiving one or more battery modules.
In electric-motor-driven vehicles such as, for example, passenger cars, trucks, forklift trucks or the like, battery modules are used as current storage. Such battery modules typically consist of multiple individual rechargeable batteries. Usually, these batteries are high-voltage batteries. A battery module can consist of one or more batteries. Certain requirements apply to the accommodation of the battery modules necessary for operating such a vehicle. They include also the behavior of such a battery housing in the case of an impact, the so-called crash performance, as well as the weight. In addition, the goal is to design the production of such battery housings to be as simple as possible.
Such battery housings as a general rule are produced from metal components, for example, aluminum or steel components, wherein battery housings which can be produced from different metals are also known. In order to accommodate the necessary number of battery modules, such battery housings can have quite large dimensions. Usually, they are accommodated in the area of the bottom of the vehicle. Battery housings having sizes of 2.0 m×1.5 m are not uncommon.
Such a battery housing comprises a tub-like housing part which can be provided, for example, by a frame or a frame structure and a bottom connected thereto or by a corresponding deep-drawn or bent component. A separator for subdivision is inserted in the tub structure. Each compartment is used for receiving typically one battery module.
Such a separator is formed by providing at least one longitudinal strut extending parallel to an edge and connected by its two ends in each case to the wall inner sides of the tub structure. For further subdivision, multiple transverse struts are provided, in each case arranged at a distance from one another and extending in parallel, wherein in each case two transverse struts are arranged facing one another with respect to the longitudinal axis of the longitudinal strut. The transverse struts are connected by one of their end faces to a side surface of the longitudinal strut and by the other end face to the inner wall of the tub structure or to another longitudinal strut. The connection of the struts to one another and the connection of the struts to the inner wall of the tub structure of the housing occurs by a joining process which, for these connections, typically involves welding connections.
DE 10 2015 111 749 A1 discloses a battery device for a vehicle operated at least partially electrically. This battery housing comprises an outer peripheral frame extending peripherally on the outside, which is closed on the bottom side by a stiffening plate for providing a bottom for setting battery modules. The space enclosed by the peripheral frame is subdivided by transverse bars and longitudinal supports which form a compartment. Under the stiffening wall forming the bottom, cooling channels are arranged in an underbody cavity provided for this purpose. The cooling channels contact the stiffening wall on the bottom side. By means of the insertion of connection profiles used as spacers, the battery housing is closed off on a bottom side by a bottom plate. Foam material can be arranged between the bottom plate and the cooling channels. The bottom plate itself is flat.
DE 10 2011 003 535 A1 discloses a bracing device for bracing individual battery modules. This device comprises two module supports arranged laterally to the battery modules to be connected together, which are connected and held together under pretensioning by an outwardly arched tensioning plate with resilient properties. The cavity which, due to the arching of the tensioning plate, lies opposite a bottom plate on which the battery modules are set is used for accommodating cooling channels. For evening out the pressure exerted by the tensioning plate and acting on the cooling channels, an elastic foam layer can be provided between the tensioning plate and the cooling channels. The tensioning plate is used for pressing the cooling channels against the bottom plate on which the battery modules are set, or, if no bottom plate is present, in order to press the cooling channels directly against the outside of the battery modules for improving the heat transfer.
Such battery housings are arranged commonly on the underbody of the car body bottom assembly due to the necessary accessibility and to their size. Vehicle-side bottoming out therefore acts directly on the battery housing. In order to prevent damage to the battery modules contained in such a battery housing, underbody linings and/or hoop guards are used, which extend over the battery housing. Such protective components are made of hard resistant materials, for example steel or also titanium. In each case, the weight of the vehicle is increased thereby. In addition, the remaining ground clearance is reduced by the additional attached protective components. Although protection of such a battery housing can also be provided by a flat plate when the ground clearance should not be restricted excessively. In such cases, titanium plates are used for the protection of the battery modules. Sandwich modules with an aluminum foam core are also used for the protection of battery housings. However, the cost of such components is quite high.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.